Artificial bait



Oct. 30, 1 928.

v J.- T. WELCH ARTIFICIAL BAIT Filed Kay 29; 1 9 25 v jzvzior 7 Jacwlak.

Patented Oct. 30, 1928,

UNITED STAT as A'rs T "OFFICE.

' .mox 'r. WELCH, or DOWAGIAC, MICHIGAN, nssronoa to J mes HEn-nous sons, on

DOWAGIAC, nIIcHiGAN, ACORPORATION or MICHIGAN.

ARTIFICIAL em;

I Application filed May 29,

the necessary buoyancy, and, at the same.

time, make provision for an interior skeleton whlch will reinforce the more fragile extremities of the bait, and make provision for attachment of the hook and line tie in such a way as to relieve the composition of which the bait is composed from the strain .occasioned in use by the hookingof a fish.

The invention is also directed to the means provided for so distributing the weight of the skeleton that itwill serve to shift the center of mass to the rear of the center of buoyancy, with the result that when the bait is resting in the water,the rear or leg portion thereof will assume'a downwardly hanging position in simulation of the-resting position of a live frog. I

Further objects and details will appear from a description of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein- I Figure 1' is a side elevation of the bait of the present invention showing the position assumed when at rest;

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view illustratingv the skeleton of the present bait;

Fig. 3 is amodified arrangement oft-he skeleton; and

Fig. 4-. is a cross sectional detail taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

The bait comprises a body portion 10 which is of generally pear shaped formation taperingat its forward end and merging into a neck 11, which unites the body with a head 12 which is rounded on its under surface 13 and flattened on its front portion 14 to present a plain obliquely disposed surface for impingement against the water when the bait is being retrieved and occupies a substantiallyhorlzontal position in the water. This causes the water to stream past the sides of the neck. which creates a. condition of unstable equilibrium,

causing the bait "to dart from side to side and otherwise move in simulation of the movements of a swimming frog. The body features of configuration. whole 18 constructed of some "plastic.com-' ithe construction of the 'present bait, since such composition possesses the buoyant'prop- 1926. Serial no. 112,583.

at its rear or enlarged end terminatesin a pair of separated .legs 15 resembling "in outl1ne the legs-of a frog.

The present invention is concerned more particularly with the construction and arrangement of a bait having the foregoing The bait as a' arily applied to' wooden baits.

A-composition of cork is preferred for erties which it is, preferred to impart to the bait of the present invention, although other compositions may be employed, and it is not intended, unless otherwise'specified, to limit the invention to a buoyant bait, or one necess'arily having the configuration of a frog, since the skeletal features of-the invention are applicable to baits of various configura tions. 7

The body and leg' portions of the presentbait are molded upon a skeleton which comprises a longitudinally extending back-bone port1on 16 which may be constructedof wire, as in Fig. 2, or may be stamped from Sheet metal as in Fig. 3. The back-bone portion,

of the skeleton is connected at its rear end with divergin leg reinforcements 17, which,

as shown in ig. 2, are united to the backbone'portion by being looped through the eye 18 of a hook 19, although the leg portions may be formed integrally with the back-bone portion, as indicated by 1'? in Fig. 3.

As shown in Fig. 2, theleg portions 17 are embedded-within asheath .like covering 20 of lead or the likewhich serves to weight the rear or leg portionof the bait, although,

if desired, the weight may be provided for, as in Fig. 3, by rolling up the metal composing the" leg portions to afford severalturns or layers 20 thereof, which will likewise tend to weight the leg portions to the" degree necessary to cause the bait when resting in the water to assume the Oblique position indicated in Fig. 1. a

Where the skeleton is formed, as in Fig. 3, the leg portions and back-bone portionsmay be united by an integrally formed connecting portion 21, which is preferablyprovided with an aperture 22'througli which the forand the illustrations given are intended to indicate two appropriate methods of' constructing this feature, although other meth ds might be utilized without departing f m the spirit of the invention. v

he hook 19 extends rearwardly between the legs of. the bait and is upturned at its bar ed end 23, which arrangement is desirabl in that the legs will serve to guard the 11007:, in considerable measure against fouling, and the arrangement is one which renders the presence of the hook relatively inconspicuous, and'the hook itself assists in weighting the rear end of-the bait, which is desirable for reasons previously stated. However, it is not intended, unless otherwise indicated, to limit the invention to one em-' bodying the hook arrangement shown, since the skeleton of the present bait will serve as an attachment for hooks otherwise disposed. The skeletal formation of the present bait is of particular advantage in connection with a bait configured to simulate a frog, in

that it prevents the legs from being readily broken off or displaced, and, at the same time, affords a highly desirable method'of weighting the bait to the desired degree, and by constructing and weighting the skeleton as aunit in the process of manufactu re, it

can be' laid into the mold and embedded in the ground cork or other plasticcomposition which will completely embed the skeleton and hook during the molding operation.

I claim:

1. A fish bait comprisinga body of buoy end in separated legs in simulation of a frog,

a connected skeleton comprising a back-bone portion extending longitudinally through the body and terminating at its forward end in a line tie and terminating at its rear end with diverging skeletal leg portions embedded within the legs, said leg portions being weighted to cause the rear end of the bait to sink downwardly when at rest, and a hook lying between the legs and upturned at its barbed end, and having its shank entered through the rear" end of the body and connected with the skeleton, substantially as described.

2. A fish bait comprising a body portion .Of generally pear shaped configuration ter- .minating at its forwardend in an upturned head connected to the body by a neck of at; its rearv end in a pair of separated legs in simulation of a frogs legs, the body, head and legs being formed of a buoyant plastic composition, a skeleton embedded within the bait and con'iprising a longitudinally extending back-bone portion terminating at its forward end in a line tie located at the head ofthe bait and terminating at its rear portion in'a pair of diverging leg portions weighted to increase the mass at the rear end of the bait and embedded within the leg portion, and a hook lying between the legs and having its barbed end turned upwardly and its forward end entered into the body and connected'to the skeleton at the point-of juncture between the back-bone and leg portions thereof, substantially as 'de- 

